PNG's latest videotape saga

Special Report

PNG's latest videotape saga MP alleges blackmail in K9 million write-off

By Sam Vulum

THE embattled Papua New

Guinea Government of prime minister Bill Skate is bracing itself for yet another battering with the expected public naming and charge of a senior member - alleged to have been involved in the production of a porno

graphic video.

The government has survived some rough times, mainly resulting from the Sandline crisis, the Mujo Sefa tapes saga, the NCDC corruption allegations - and now, the pornographic videotape saga.

This comes when the government is also under close scrutiny and extreme pres sure over its handling of the deteriorating economy resulting in the slide in the Kina.

Police have formally charged the woman allegedly involved in the tape. She is Regina Pera Gibolo from the Western Highlands province. At the time of writing, she had appeared in court twice for men tion and has been kept in custody under heavy police guard in a Boroko cell in Port

Moresby.

Police have also threatened to charge people in possession of the 100 estimated copies of the tape unless they surrender them.

The issue was revealed on June 24 when veteran politician Sir Peter Lus tabled a copy of the tape in parliament.

In a series of questions accompanying the tape, Sir Peter also alleged that the tape was used to blackmail the government into writing off a K 9 million debt to a bank in the country.

Parliament Speaker John Pundari, after viewing the tape, ruled that to maintain the decorum of parliament and to protect MPs, he would not accept any documents that touched upon the integrity of members.

The member allegedly concerned was heavily involved in the formation of gov ernment.

Another key government figure, Eastern Highlands Province Governor Peti Lafanama, has been dismissed from parlia ment by a Court of Disputed Return.

The facts surrounding the videotape allegations have yet to be made public,

however, according to claims made by informants to PIM, the events leading up to the parliamentary revelations began in March 1998.

Sources say at this time, Bakri Nema of the Nokoba tribe of Wurup village in the Agnlimp South Waghi electorate of Western Highlands - allegedly took a tape marked “sports” from the house of the MP on the tape.

Nema, a blood brother of the MP, allegedly sold the tape for K 6 to a Haverly Kewa of the Roni Milemb tribe, also of the Wurup area.

Kewa apparently decided to get rid of the tape as he could not get it working dur ing a film show. He was not aware at the time that the tape contained pornographic material involving the MP.

It is claimed that the tape was then picked up by two men who apparently viewed the tape at the home of a public ser vant who works at the Western Highlands provincial administration.

After viewing the contents, the young men allegedly tried to sell the tape back to its owner, the MP, for an amount of K 200,000,000.

The MP did not have the money. As a senior member of a major coalition partner in government, he allegedly had to seek help from the party leader and another senior member of the party who was also

the chairman of a bank in the country.

The MR flew immediately to Port Moresby to seek help. He apparently informed the party that he needed help but didn’t tell them the reason. Sources claim that the two men plus a senior government minister told the MP to wait around for a few days while they organised the money.

In the meantime, the two young men with the tape apparently got impatient.

Allegedly, with the help of a former local level government councillor, they took the tape to a former MP and strong political rival of the MP implicated. The founder of a major local business group, he allegedly gave them K3OOO cash of which Michael Kewa took Kl2OO. It is claimed that after viewing the tape with many other people, the rival left immediately for Port

Moresby.

He was picked up at the airport by a lawyer friend, who apparently viewed the tape along with the senior party member and bank chairman.

By this time, the MP knew that the tape had fallen into the hands of his greatest political enemy. After the senior party man and bank chairman viewed the tape, the

MR apparently confirmed to the party lead er, the minister and the senior party man that he was involved. They all cried and allegedly made a firm commitment that they would do everything possible to cover this and protect the MR According to sources, the party leader wanted to view the tape, which he did.

In the meantime, the boys that the MP’s rival had sent to Goroka were involved in a car accident there. The rival’s brother was killed, and he had to rush back home. He apparently told the party leader what his demands were in front of the senior party man and bank chairman, the minister and his lawyer. The demands allegedly includ ed: - withdrawal of receivership of a certain business group. The group owed the bank, that the senior party member was chairman

of, more than K 9 million;

- writing off K 9 million from the bank; - the rival himself was to be given a job with the government with good terms and conditions; - all legal work of government statutory bodies were to go to his lawyer friend.

These were allegedly some of his

demands in return for not exposing the MR Because the MR and his rival had not seen each other face to face for a long time, sources claim that the party leader suggest ed that he travel to their village for them to sit down and make peace in front of him.

The party leader apparently asked the rival not to expose the MR and assured him that his demands would be met by April 1998. It is claimed that the senior party man and bank chairman travelled by night from Goroka so that no-one would know he was at the meeting in the MP’s house.

The meeting allegedly took place in the village with the party leader, the rival, the senior party man and bank chairman and the MR concerned present.

The MR apparently cried and hugged his rival, saying “you saved my life, I’ll do

anything for you”.

Sources say they spent the night at the MP’s house and the next morning, the rival called for a few of his key men to tell them what had taken place.

The government, however, has denied that it ordered the bank to write off the K 9 million. It argued that it was a normal busi ness transaction. ■

When he realised that the videotape was in the hands of his rival, the MP fled to Port Moresby for help.